"GIOVANNI" - Mickey Wood Sign

We're winding down people!!  Only 3 full days left to complete EVERYTHING for this Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 1st Birthday party... I'm excited, are you??  haha.

(my puppy Daizy wanted to be in the photo - lol)

I have an altered project I want to share with you using wood letters, paint and a long wood piece.  This idea came to me one day as I sat watching the Disney channel with Giovanni.  I must've been in the weirdest/silliest mood because I remember being very delirious and tweeting things like "Why does Mickey have a black body and pale face?".  lol.  (I get silly if I don't get enough sleep, which is about 3 times a week.)  

SO ANYWAY [I'm always getting off topic]... 

During the commercial break I saw a logo that Disney showed using all the Mickey's Clubhouse characters and a light bulb went off in my head.  

I didn't think I'd be able to pull off making all the characters (because his name is too long and I'd have to double some characters, and because it would be too challenging), but I did figure Mickey would be my inspiration.  I immediately went into brainstorm mode and thought of ways to make it happen.  Using a 20% off everything coupon, I found these wood letters at Michael's and quickly got to work.  The best part was how similar to the Disney font it looked...awesome!!  The letters are priced at $1.99 each.  (Remind me to make sure my next kid has a 2 letter name, if there is a next one... lol!)

The photos can kinda narrate the process from beginning to end, but for my sanity I will add captions throughout the pictures to better explain what you're looking at.

I hope you find this project to be fun and inspiring and if you decide to make this also, please share the link here below.  I'd love to see what you create!!

(click photos to enlarge)

I drew lines across each letter with a pencil to make sure there would be an exact amount of black/red ratio.  I'm very anal about getting things perfect that way... lol

I put regular scotch tape across the lines and around the back. 
Making sure that all sides of the letter were painted properly.

I peeled off the tape with an exact-o knife (mostly because I'm a nail biter),
once the paint was mostly dry...
(I didn't want it to be completely dry and then peel or chip the paint). 
I proceeded to add tape over the black side of the letter to begin painting the red side.

 

Make sure to erase the pencil marks after you've placed the tape and before you paint,
because IT WILL show through the paint!!  lol.

The 3/4" buttons I purchased on eBay MONTHS ago
(when I knew what invitations I was going to make)
were the perfect added touch to these letters. 
And I had just enough to make the invites,
to make these letters and to use for any other future projects!! 

You can use any glue really,
but hot glue has become my #1 glue of choice lately,
for several reasons...

1. It dries instantly.

2. It gives a little dimension.

Once the letters were done I wanted to add the signature Mickey ears to this,
so I thought of punching out black circles,
layering them on each other with Tombow Mono adhesive
(I didn't want them to be lumpy with hot glue),
and added them to the "O" letter. 
Why the O?  Because it's round and looks like a head!! 
[simple logic huh? - lol.]

The 2nd part was left to my husband. 
He brought me a piece of scrap wood from his job and painted it Mustard Yellow. 
At the time these acrylic paints were selling for 30 cents at Michael's. 
I LOVE SALES!!

I hot glued the letters in an unorderly fashion (on purpose),
onto the wood backing and VOILA!!  

"GIOVANNI" came to life!!

Click play on the video below.

Thanks for stopping by and "See Ya' Real Soon!"  (sorry, too much Mickey!)  hehe.

x0, Damaris

P.S.  Don't forget to check out my other Mickey inspired projects.